B. Very.

A.  That which accrues not by nature but has been introduced from without, will it not be to be lost, as far as possibility goes?

B.  How should it be otherwise?

A.  Hence it will be a possible contingency that the son should some time be able to fall from his sonship: for what is not based on laws of nature is not free from a suspicion of being lost.

B.  It is so.

A.  In another way too one may see that their dogma is both uncomely and of a truth replete with the supremest ill-counsel: for if it is true that that which is by adoption and grace is ever in the likeness of that which is by nature and in truth, how are WE sons by adoption, having reference to Him Who is truly Son if He too along with us is among them who are so by grace? how too in the Gospel-parables is He sent as Son after the servants [had been sent]? whom when the guardians of the vineyard saw they said, This man is the heir, come let us kill Him.

He therefore Who hath appeared in flesh and Who made trial of the crooked ways of the Jews is SON in truth and Free, as born of the Nature that is Free and is not among those who are under the yoke, in that He is conceived of as God, even though He hath been made, as we who are under the yoke, son of bondage, He the SON (as I said) by Nature and truly, Who is beyond the yoke and above the creation: after Whom WE too who are sons by adoption and grace have been formed.

B. We do not say (say they) that the man is Son of God, lest we should speak of two sons by Nature. For as the Word Who came down from Heaven is not by nature son of David, thus neither is he who is forth of the seed of David, Son of God by Nature .

A.  They will therefore sever into two sons, and both of them will be proved to be falsely so called, and I think one may say that the mystery of Christ is idle trickery if it is thus as our opponents foolishly say. Where then is the Union and in regard to what do they say that it has been wrought? or haply this that the Word was made flesh is found to be untrue and to have been superfluously brought in, if the Word from forth God the Father have not been called son of David by reason of His being made from forth his seed after the flesh. But I think that they ought to hear from us too what was said by Christ Himself to the chiefs of the Jews, What think ye of Christ? whose son is He? and should they say, David's, they will hear from us, How therefore does David in spirit call Him. Lord saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My Right Hand until I put Thine enemies the footstool of Thy Feet? if therefore David in spiritcall Him Lord, how is He his Son? does he who is not by Nature and truly Son (as our opponents say) co-sit with God, and is he co-Throned (tell me) with Him Who ruleth all things? albeit, as saith the all-wise Paul, to no one of the angels hath the Father at any time said, My Son art THOU, nor yet, Sit on My Right Hand. How then is he who is forth of a woman in supremest dignity and on the seat of the Godhead and beyond all Rule and Lordship, Thrones and Authority and every name that is named?

And note how the Lord saying, If therefore David in spirit call Him Lord how is He his Son, induces those who would be searchers of the truth, to hold that the Word when in participation of flesh and blood hath remained even thus One Son: witnessed to that He is God from God-befitting Excellency and Lordship, while His being called also Son of David signifieth full well that He is Man.

B.  Perhaps they will say to this (for I am pointing out [their reply]), „Are we then to admit that he too who is forth of the seed of David is forth of the Essence of God the Father?,,

A.  Yet how hath not such a question exceeding worthlessness? and it is incongruous to the might of the mystery and to them who delight in the truth.

B. Tell me how.

A. Do not divide, saying that he who is forth of the seed of David is other than the One Christ and Son and Lord: for right utterance wills that the Only-Begotten Son Who hath His Being forth of God the Father is Himself, and none other, him who is forth of David after the flesh. Let them not therefore of their boundless stupidity say that as the Word Who came down out of heaven is not by nature David's Son, thus neither is he who is forth of the seed of David Son of God by Nature. For the Word Who by Nature and in truth beamed forth of the Father, having assumed flesh and blood, as I just now said, hath remained the Same, that is, by Nature and truly Son of the Father, being One Only and not as if one with another, that His Person may be conceived of as One. For thus gathering unto union true and above mind and speech things which by the count of their nature had been sundered unto unlikeness, we shall advance on the unerring path of the faith. For we say that One and the Same Christ Jesus is forth of God the Father as God the Word, forth of the seed of Divine David after the flesh. Do not I seem to you to have most rightly considered these things?

B.  Surely.

A. I will ask the opponents something else too. 

B. What is that?

A.  Are they not assured that the Only-Begotten God the Word hath His Being from forth God the Father and do they not affirm that the man taken (as they say) by connection is made from forth the seed of Divine David?

B.  So they say.

A. The Word therefore being God will most assuredly surpass both in Nature and in glory him who is forth of the seed of David and will overpass to the extent of the difference of the natures. Or if it be not as I say, why do they sever and allot to the one the right to the glory, and bring in the other as recipient, and as gaining what he is by way of a prize and in the light of a largess? but less full surely and inferior is the receiver to the giver and to him who gives the glory that which is participant of the glory from him.

B. I suppose that they too would say that most vast is the difference between God and men.

A.  Then how does the all-wise Paul, the priest of the Divine mysteries, he that hath indwelling Him Who is preached, and who speaketh in the Spirit: how does he both call Him that after the flesh is of the Jews, God and say that He is blessed for ever, amen? what is there above God Who is over all? what will a man behold in the Word Who is forth of the Father greater than he is who after the flesh is of the Jews if he be a son other than He and separate and not truly so?

Β: Καὶ μάλα.

Α: Τὸ δὲ μὴ φύσει προσόν, ἔξωθεν δὲ μᾶλλον εἰσπεποιημένον, οὐκ ἀπόβλητον γένοιτ' ἄν, κατά γε τὸ ἐγχωροῦν;

Β: Πῶς γὰρ οὔ;

Α: Οὐκοῦν, εἴη ἂν τῶν ἐνδεχομένων καὶ ἀπολισθεῖν ποτε δύνασθαι τῆς υἱότητος τὸν Υἱόν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀνύποπτον εἰς ἀποβολὴν ὃ μὴ φυσικοῖς ἐρήρεισται νόμοις.

Β: Ὧδε ἔχει.

Α: Καὶ καθ' ἕτερον δὲ τρόπον καταθεῷτό τις ἂν ὡς ἀκαλλές τέ ἐστι καὶ τῆς ἀνωτάτω δυσβουλίας ἐπίμεστον ἀληθῶς τὸ δόγμα αὐτοῖς. Εἰ γάρ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ὡς τὸ κατὰ θέσιν καὶ χάριν ἀεί πώς ἐστιν ἐν ὁμοιώσει τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ ἀλήθειαν, πῶς ἡμεῖς κατὰ θέσιν υἱοί, πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχοντες τὴν ἀναφορὰν ὡς πρὸς Υἱὸν ἀληθῶς, εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς μεθ' ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς κατὰ χάριν ἐστί; Πῶς δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς εὐαγγελικαῖς παραβολαῖς ὡς υἱὸς πέμπεται μετὰ τοὺς οἰκέτας; Ὃν ἑωρακότες, ἔφασαν οἱ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος μελεδωνοί· Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόμος, δεῦτε, ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτόν. Ἔστι τοίνυν ὁ ἐν σαρκὶ πεφηνὼς καὶ τῆς Ἰουδαίων σκαιότητος εἰς πεῖραν ἐλθὼν Υἱὸς ἀληθῶς, καὶ ἐλεύθερος, ὡς φύσεως δηλονότι τῆς ἐλευθέρας ἐκπεφυκώς, καὶ οὐκ ἔν γε τοῖς ὑπὸ ζυγὸν καθὸ νοεῖται Θεός, καὶ εἰ γέγονε καθ' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ὑπὸ ζυγὸν δουλείας υἱὸς ὁ Υἱός, ὡς ἔφην, φύσει τε καὶ ἀληθῶς, ὁ πέρα ζυγοῦ καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν κτίσιν, πρὸς ὃν καὶ ἡμεῖς, οἱ κατὰ θέσιν καὶ χάριν υἱοὶ μεμορφώμεθα.

Β: Οὐ λέγομεν, φασί, τὸν ἄνθρωπον Υἱὸν εἶναι [φύσει] τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα μὴ δύο φύσει υἱοὺς εἴπωμεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ ἐξ οὐρανῶν κατελθὼν Λόγος οὔκ ἐστι κατὰ φύσιν υἱὸς τοῦ ∆αυείδ, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὁ ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυεὶδ Υἱός ἐστι κατὰ φύσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Α: ∆ιατετμήσονται δὴ οὖν εἰς υἱοὺς δύο, καὶ ἄμφω ψευδώνυμοι καταφωραθεῖεν ἄν. Φαίη δ' ἄν, οἶμαι, τὶς εἰκαῖον εἶναι φενακισμὸν τὸ Χριστοῦ μυστήριον, εἴπερ ὧδε ἔχει καθὰ ληροῦντές φασιν οἱ διεναντίας. Ποῦ τοιγαροῦν ἡ ἕνωσις, καὶ ἐφ' ὅτῳ πεπράχθαι φασὶν αὐτήν; Ἢ τάχα που καὶ τὸ γενέσθαι σάρκα τὸν Λόγον οὐκ ἀληθὲς ὂν ἐκφαίνεται, καὶ περιττῶς εἰσκεκομισμένον, εἰ μὴ κεχρημάτικεν υἱὸς τοῦ ∆αυεὶδ ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγος διὰ τὸ ἐκ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι κατὰ τὴν σάρκα. Χρῆναι δὲ οἶμαι καὶ πρὸς ἡμῶν ἀκούειν αὐτοὺς τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῖς Ἰουδαίων καθηγηταῖς εἰρημένον· Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Τίνος υἱός ἐστι; Κἂν εἰ φαῖεν ὅτι τοῦ ∆αυείδ, ἀκούσονται πρὸς ἡμῶν· Πῶς οὖν ∆αυεὶδ ἐν Πνεύματι Κύριον αὐτὸν καλεῖ λέγων· Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου; Εἰ οὖν ∆αυεὶδ ἐν Πνεύματι καλεῖ αὐτὸν Κύριον, πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν; Ὁ μὴ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ ἀληθῶς Υἱός, καθά φασιν οἱ διεναντίας, συνεδρεύει τε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ὁμόθρονος, εἰπέ μοι, τῷ πάντων κρατοῦντι γίνεται; Καίτοι, καθά φησιν ὁ πάνσοφος Παῦλος, οὐδενὶ πώποτε τῶν ἀγγέλων εἴρηκεν ὁ Πατήρ· Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἀλλ' οὐδέ· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου. Εἶτα πῶς ἐν τοῖς ὑπερτάτοις ἀξιώμασι καὶ ἐν τοῖς τῆς θεότητος θάκοις ὁ ἐκ γυναικός, καὶ πέρα πάσης Ἀρχῆς καὶ Κυριότητος, Θρόνων τε καὶ Ἐξουσίας, καὶ παντὸς ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένου; Ἄθρει δὲ ὅπως ὁ Κύριος λέγων· Εἰ οὖν ∆αυεὶδ ἐν Πνεύματι Κύριον ὀνομάζει, πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστι; φρονεῖν ἀναπείθει τοὺς οἵπερ ἂν εἶεν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐρευνηταί, ὡς ἐν μεθέξει σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος γεγονὼς ὁ Λόγος, εἷς μεμένηκε καὶ οὕτως Υἱός· ὅτι μέν ἐστι Θεός, ἐκ θεοπρεποῦς ὑπεροχῆς καὶ κυριότητος μαρτυρούμενος, ὅτι δὲ πέφηνεν ἄνθρωπος, τοῦ καὶ Υἱὸν χρηματίσαι ∆αυεὶδ εὖ μάλα κατασημαίνοντος.

Β: Φαῖεν ἂν ἴσως καὶ πρός γε ταῦτα, διατεκμαίρομαι γάρ· Ἆρ' ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι δώσομεν τὸν ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυείδ.

Α: Καίτοι πῶς ἡ τοιάδε πεῦσις οὐ πολὺ δὴ λίαν τὸ ἀσύφηλον ἔχει; Καὶ ἀπᾳδόντως ἂν γένοιτο τῇ τοῦ μυστηρίου δυνάμει καὶ τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας φιλοθεάμοσιν;

Β: Φράσον ὅπως.

Α: Μὴ γάρ μοι διέλῃς, ὡς ἕτερόν τινα λέγων παρὰ τὸν ἕνα Χριστὸν καὶ Υἱὸν [καὶ] Κύριον, τὸν ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυείδ. Ὁ γάρ τοι τῆς ὀρθότητος λόγος τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς φύντα Υἱὸν μονογενῆ αὐτὸν καὶ οὐχ ἕτερον εἶναι βούλεται τὸν ἐκ ∆αυεὶδ κατὰ σάρκα. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐξ ἀμετρήτου λεγόντων ἐμβροντησίας, ὅτι ὥσπερ ὁ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατελθὼν Λόγος οὔκ ἐστι κατὰ φύσιν υἱὸς τοῦ ∆αυείδ, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὁ ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυεὶδ Υἱός ἐστι κατὰ φύσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ γάρ τοι φύσει καὶ ἀληθῶς ἐκ τοῦ [Θεοῦ καὶ] Πατρὸς ἀναλάμψας Λόγος, ἐν προσλήψει γεγονὼς σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, καθάπερ ἔφην ἀρτίως, μεμένηκεν ὁ αὐτός, τουτέστι φύσει τε καὶ ἀληθῶς Υἱὸς τοῦ Πατρός, εἷς ὢν καὶ μόνος, καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἕτερος μεθ' ἑτέρου, ἵνα καὶ ἓν αὐτοῦ νοῆται πρόσωπον. Συναγείροντες γὰρ οὕτως πρὸς ἕνωσιν ἀληθῆ καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ νοῦν καὶ λόγον τὰ τοῖς τῆς φύσεως λόγοις πρὸς ἀνομοιότητα διεσχοινισμένα, τὴν ἀπλανῆ τῆς πίστεως βαδιούμεθα τρίβον. Ἕνα γὰρ καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναί φαμεν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἐκ Θεοῦ μὲν Πατρὸς ὡς Θεὸν Λόγον, ἐκ σπέρματος δὲ κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ [θεσπεσίου] ∆αυείδ. Ἢ οὐκ ἄριστά σοι ταῦτα διεσκέφθαι δοκῶ;

Β: Πάνυ μὲν οὖν.

Α: Προσερήσομαι δέ τι καὶ ἕτερον τοὺς διεναντίας.

Β: Τὸ τί δὴ φής;

Α: Οὐ γὰρ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς τὴν ὕπαρξιν ἔχειν πεπιστεύκασι τὸν μονογενῆ Θεὸν Λόγον, τόν γε μήν, ὡς αὐτοί φασι, ληφθέντα κατὰ συνάφειαν ἄνθρωπον ἐκ σπέρματος γενέσθαι τοῦ θεσπεσίου ∆αυεὶδ διατείνονται;

Β: Οὕτω φασί.

Α: Πλεονεκτήσει δὴ οὖν πάντη τε καὶ πάντως, φύσει τε καὶ δόξῃ Θεὸς ὢν ὁ Λόγος, τὸν ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυείδ, καὶ ὑπεραλεῖται τοσοῦτον ὅσον ἂν ἔχοι τὸ μεσολαβοῦν τῶν φύσεων ἡ διαφορά. Ἢ εἴπερ οὔκ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ὅ φημι, διαιροῦσιν ἀνθότου, καὶ [τὸν μὲν νέμοντα τὴν δόξην καὶ] τὴν ἐξουσίαν, τὸν δὲ λαβόντα παρακομίζουσι, καὶ τοῦθ' ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐν τάξει γερῶν καὶ ἐν χαρίσματος μοίρᾳ κερδαίνοντα. Μεῖον δὲ πάντως καὶ ἐν δευτέροις τοῦ διδόντος τὸ δεχόμενον, καὶ τοῦ δοξάζοντος τὸ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ δόξης μετεσχηκός.

Β: Πλείστην, οἶμαι, καὶ αὐτοὶ φαῖεν ἂν τὴν διαφορὰν Θεοῦ τε καὶ ἀνθρώπων.

Α: Εἶτα πῶς ὁ πάνσοφος Παῦλος, ὁ τῶν θείων μυστηρίων ἱερουργός, ὁ αὐτὸν ἔνοικον ἔχων τὸν κηρυττόμενον, καὶ λαλῶν ἐν Πνεύματι, τὸν κατὰ σάρκα ἐξ Ἰουδαίων καὶ Θεὸν ὀνομάζει, καὶ εὐλογητὸν εἶναί φησιν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν; Τί τὸ ἐπέκεινα τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας Θεοῦ; Τί δὲ τὸ μεῖζον ἐν τῷ ἐκ Πατρὸς φύντι Λόγῳ καταθρήσαι τις ἂν παρά γε τὸν κατὰ σάρκα ἐξ Ἰουδαίων, εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἕτερος παρ' αὐτὸν καὶ ἰδικῶς Υἱός, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀληθῶς;